Showing no signs of slowing down through a year that has seen the improvisational funk jam band from Albany hold a month-long residency at Nectar’s, open for Vermont legends Twiddle and Bernie Sanders, and their first tour of the Midwest, Formula 5 embarks on a wide-ranging Fall Tour.

After Northeast shows supporting Assembly of Dust and Snarky Puppy-project Ghost Note, Formula 5 heads west on an inaugural Colorado run to start October, followed by stops in Ohio and Pennsylvania, before returning to the Northeast for a slate of shows across the region, highlighted by 3 shows supporting TAUK and a hometown tradition, Black Friday at The Hollow in Albany.

Four individuals – Joe Davis, Greg Marek, James Woods and Matt Richards – hail from diverse musical backgrounds around the Capital Region and come together to brew up a funky, soulful, jam stew, influenced by jambands, jazz legends and classic rock. Formula 5 ties originals and select covers together with a remarkable approach to instrumentation and improvisation.

This past summer Formula 5 ventured to the Midwest for a week of shows, were joined on stage by Ryan Dempsey of Twiddle and Steve “The Dude of Life” Pollack, and kicked off the weekend at Twiddle’s Tumbledown in Burlington.

The band also launched F5Jams.com, a site featuring mixed soundboard releases for free downloads to fans. Eight shows from throughout 2016 are featured, with more shows arriving each month.

Formula 5 announced this week a Kickstarter campaign in support of their third studio album, due to be released in Spring 2017. The crowd-funding effort netted more than 20% of their $12,000 goal in less than 4 days, putting them on pace to exceed their goal before the December 14 deadline.

This venture into the studio marks the first for the current Formula 5 lineup of Joe Davis (guitar), Greg Marek (drums), James Woods (bass) and Matt Richards (keyboards). This will also mark the first studio album for both Woods and Richards, who shares his excitement towards entering the studio for the first time.

”I look forward to the process of arranging songs we have performed live many times, and how that will be different from the process of adapting our new songs from the album to their live arrangements. In a live setting, you have to perfect your arrangement of a song during the performance. You are limited by what arrangement you can perform in a singular moment. In the studio, your arrangements aren't limited by what you can perform at one moment. That greatly increases the number of possible arrangements for a given song.” – Matt Richards, keyboards/vocals, Formula 5

Formula 5 has toured relentlessly in 2016, clocking in nearly 90 shows so far and will end the year with a Phish pre-show in New York City at American Beauty on December 30. The band enters the studio in January with a full month off to record in Albany, NY with a planned release in Spring 2017.

Throughout the past 5 years, Formula 5 has undergone immense growth and change, both musically and as a team. With a fan base that has grown thanks to appearances at Catskill Chill, Disc Jam, Buffalove, Backwoods Pondfest, Rock n Roll Resort, and Adirondack Music Festival, drummer Greg Marek reflects on the success of 2016: “We have gained a significant amount of fans in the last year that have shown immense support both online and at the shows.”

As Formula 5 enters into their Kickstarter campaign, they are confident that their improvisational funk jam sound will continue to find new audiences across the country. Formula 5 intends to record an album for fans both old and new, establishing a sound and returning to the road in support an effort they are proud to perform live.

Formula 5 is excited to announce an extensive Winter Tour to kick off 2017, which will see the release of the band’s third studio effort All Points North in April. Blanketing the Northeast throughout February, the band will return to the Midwest and Colorado in March, with debut performances in Kansas City and Chicago, wrapping up their tour back East at Rock n Roll Resort and a headlining show at Nectar’s in Burlington, VT on April 1. Fellow Upstate New Yorkers Mister F will join the band for 8 shows throughout New York and New England. Poised for a breakout year, Formula 5 has their eyes set towards a building off the success of 2016 which found the band performing with the likes of Twiddle, TAUK, Assembly of Dust, Kung Fu, Particle and Ghost Note.

Formula 5 also releases today a recording of their November 18th performance at Buffalo Iron Works on their Soundcloud, highlighted by a 24 minute performance of the jam vehicle “Sad Bed.” Additional soundboard releases of full shows can be found on the band’s site F5Jams.com.

Formula 5 is a four-piece improvisational rock band out of Albany, NY, featuring Joe Davis (guitar/vocals), Greg Marek (drums), James Woods (bass), and Matt Richards (keys/vocals). With a diverse catalogue of distinctive originals and familiar covers, Formula 5 will keep your feet moving and your mind engaged. With influences that include Steely Dan, Jeff Beck, Aquarium Rescue Unit, D’Angelo, Ween and Phish, Formula 5 blends high-energy Rock n Roll with tasteful grooves and an emphasis on collective, goal-driven improvisation. Every performance is unique, leaving the listener excited for where the band may venture with their broad range of styles at their next show.

Formula 5 has announced dates for their All Points North Spring Tour. All Points North, the result of a successful Kickstarter campaign in Fall 2016, is the third studio release from the Upstate, NY jamband and will be released on April 14.

Themes of death, rebirth, and moving on make All Points North a more introspective album than the band’s previous studio efforts. It also marks a new direction for the band’s sound. Guitarist Joe Davis reflects on the final product, “I think “Q&A” and “Excalibur” are on ode to the old band, having been written by myself and (former keyboardist) Mike McDonald. It’s like a final farewell to the old, mixed in with new styles, such as with “The Birch Tree,” “Do Tell,” “Figure Out a Feeling,” “Trout Waters Pt I & II” and “It Goes...;” that old jammy style is still in us but it’s more mature and reigned in.”

All Points North was produced, recorded and mixed by Bryan Brundige at Overit Studios in Albany, NY and Mastered by Michael Schoonmaker at Gigantic Mastering. All Points North will be released on all platforms on April 14 and be available for streaming on F5Jams.com and JEMP Radio.

Formula 5’s Spring Tour brings them throughout the Northeast, bookending the tour with performances at music festivals Rock n Roll Resort and Disc Jam. In between the band hits familiar Northeast markets with artists including Dead Phish Orchestra, Mister F, Litz, Space Carnival, The Other Brothers, Relative Souls and more. Formula 5 will have a pair of album release shows on April 14 at Pacific Standard Tavern in New Haven, CT and on April 15 at Putnam Den in Saratoga Springs, NY.

About the band: Formula 5 is a four-piece improvisational rock band out of Albany, NY, featuring Joe Davis (guitar/vocals), Greg Marek (drums), James Woods (bass), and Matt Richards (keys/vocals). With a diverse catalogue of distinctive originals and familiar covers, Formula 5 will keep your feet moving and your mind engaged. With influences that include Steely Dan, Jeff Beck, Aquarium Rescue Unit, D’Angelo, Ween and Phish, Formula 5 blends high-energy Rock n Roll with tasteful grooves and an emphasis on collective, goal-driven improvisation. Every performance is unique, leaving the listener excited for where the band may venture with their broad range of styles at their next show.

The jam-oriented rockers swing through the Midwest and New York throughout July and August, performing three shows on historic waterways of their native New York State, with a hometown celebration on August 25th as they headline the 200 year anniversary of steamboats on Lake George.

Formula 5 also released audio and video from their April 15 album release show for ‘All Points North,’ the third studio album from the quartet. Featuring Bryan Brundige (trombone) and Phil Chow (trumpet), the album was performed live start to finish in the first set of the celebration of the album’s release.

Fall in Upstate New York is quickly approaching and the Capital Region’s Formula 5 will hit the Northeast and Colorado with 28 shows full of brisk jams and crisp improvisation that has become a staple of their touring machine.

This weekend Formula 5 headlines Rock the Dock, celebrating the 200th anniversary of steamboats on Lake George. September finds Formula 5 supporting Pigeons Playing Ping Pong in Syracuse and Buffalo before returning home to perform at Adirondack Independence Music Festival for a late night set at King Neptune’s in Lake George. Festival sets at Eastbound Throwdown, Great North Music and Arts Festival and Wormtown round out the month with Toronto’s After Funk joining the band at Putnam Den on Friday, September 22.

October and November will bring Denver’s Cycles together with Formula 5 as the two jam-centric bands combine forces for 10 shows in the Northeast and Colorado. The pair will perform at American Beauty in New York City, The Shaskeen in Manchester, NH, Nectar’s in Burlington along with Sammich for a bountiful tribute to H.O.R.D.E. Festival, The Acoustic in Bridgeport and King Neptune’s in Lake George. F5 then heads to Halloween Horror Camp in Western Massachusetts where they will perform a Phish tribute set, joining lespecial, Roots of Creation and Strange Machines for a full day of musical costumes.

After shows at Ocean Mist in Wakefield, RI and Mom’s Place in Chicago, IL, the cozy autumn days and crisp fall nights will follow Formula 5 to Colorado and New Mexico as they perform with Cycles at Taos Mesa Brewing in Taos, NM, The Lariat in Buena Vista, CO, The Lazy Dog in Boulder, CO, Intrinzik in Montrose, CO and Old Town Pub in Steamboat Springs, CO. Formula 5 joins Dead Phish Orchestra in Denver on November 18th for their final show before briskly heading home for an annual Black Friday performance at The Hollow in Albany, NY with The Jauntee.

Formula 5's recent studio album All Points North is now available for streaming on Spotify.

Hot off the heels of Fall Tour, Formula 5 has announced Winter Tour 2018. The tour kicks off at Nietzsche’s in Buffalo, NY on December 1 followed by the band’s debut at the new FLX Live in Geneva, NY. Their final 2017 show will take place on December 30th for a Phish after party at DROM with Fondude. A limited number of VIP packages are available for this special end of year show.

Highlights of the early 2018 dates include a 4-show run in North Carolina that brings Formula 5 down south in January, while February will find them back home in New York for shows with Space Carnival in Plattsburgh and Ithaca, with Strange Machines in Saratoga Springs, NY and Manchester, NH, and with Swimmer in Providence.

Formula 5’s ‘Rock the Dock’ Music Festival will be held on July 13, 2018 in Lake George, NY. Live music from Formula 5 and more, as well as craft and food vendors, can be enjoyed from any of the 3 historic Lake George steamboats that overlook the stage. More details will be announced in the spring.

Latest Audio/Video Releases

Listen to the latest release on F5Jams from October 21 at American Beauty NYC.

Watch video of “Tall Boy” > “2001” from Nectar’s on October 21, featuring Patrick Harvey of Cycles on guitar.

Formula 5's recent studio album All Points North is now available for streaming on Spotify.

Spring is just around the corner and Formula 5 has announced a 21 show Spring Tour kicking off at Nectar’s on April 6 and featuring stops throughout the Northeast, Midwest, and Southeast, as well as music festival performances at Dome Fest, Sterling Stage FolkFest and Disc Jam Music Festival. Along the way, Formula 5 will perform alongside Perpetual Groove, McLovins, The Magic Beans, The Southern Belles, Goose and Space Carnival.

Formula 5’s ‘Rock the Dock’ Music Festival will be held on July 13, 2018 in Lake George, NY. The lineup features Formula 5, Soule Monde (Featuring Ray Paczkowski & Russ Lawton of Trey Anastasio Band), Strange Machines and Let’s Be Leonard, all of which can be enjoyed from any of the 3 historic Lake George steamboats that wrap around the stage. Luke Dow, event manager for Rock the Dock, shared background on bringing the event to the docks on Lake George. “Rock the Dock was started as a way to celebrate the Lake George Steamboat Company's 200th anniversary by doing something that the company has never done in its history, hold a concert on the pier. The free concert was a way of giving back to all the loyal patrons as well as showcase the talents of local artists and food trucks. This year's festival will also be focused on giving back, with 25% of all ticket proceeds benefiting the FUND for Lake George, to help with their efforts to keep the lake clean and pristine for years to come.” Craft and food vendors will also be on hand for Rock the Dock, tickets are on sale now at rockthedocklakegeorge.com

Albany jam band Formula 5 will lend their name this summer to a refreshing Ben & Jerry’s shake and a Lake George music festival, a bold step forward for the quartet who have toured extensively in the Northeast, with recent tours of Colorado, the Midwest and Southeast pointing to rapid growth on the horizon.

The Formula 5 Flavor Shake, combining Cherry Garcia, Totally Baked, Phish Food ice creams, plus milk & mini M&Ms, is available this summer at the Ben and Jerry’s on Madison Avenue in Albany, as well as the Saratoga Springs and Lake George Scoop Shops.

Albany co-owner Mike Sperduto said of the shake “Bringing Ben & Jerry’s and Formula 5 together to mix up a shake just made sense. From The Grateful Dead and Phish to Willie Nelson, we keep our eyes on the smile, music and ice cream, so taking this to a local level made sense, and especially with the commitment of a band who embraces our values really solidified it for us.”

Formula 5’s ‘Rock the Dock’ Music Festival will be held on July 13, 2018 in Lake George, NY on the dock of the Lake George Steamboat Company. The lineup features Formula 5, Soule Monde (Featuring Ray Paczkowski & Russ Lawton of Trey Anastasio Band), Strange Machines and Let’s Be Leonard, all of which can be enjoyed from any of the 3 historic Lake George steamboats that dock around the stage.

Luke Dow, event manager for Rock the Dock, shared background on bringing the event to the docks on Lake George. “Rock the Dock was started as a way to celebrate the Lake George Steamboat Company's 200th anniversary by doing something that the company has never done in its history, hold a concert on the pier. The free concert was a way of giving back to all the loyal patrons as well as showcase the talents of local artists and food trucks. This year's festival will also be focused on giving back, with 25% of all ticket proceeds benefiting the FUND for Lake George, to help with their efforts to keep the lake clean and pristine for years to come.” Craft and food vendors will also be on hand for Rock the Dock, tickets are on sale now at rockthedocklakegeorge.com. Event Link: www.facebook.com/events/1367251946736551

Formula 5 recently covered Rush’s “La Villa Strangiato” at The Hollow in Albany on April 28. The Rush original appears on ‘Hemispheres’ and marks the first time Formula 5 has covered the prog-rock pioneers. Watch here: https://youtu.be/S1eLA9ns

Formula 5 embarks on their 2018 Summer Tour with stops at familiar haunts across the Northeast and North Carolina and featuring festival performances at Tumbledown and Adirondack Music Festivals, as well as their own Rock the Dock Music Festival on July 13. August will bring the band back to North Carolina for a pair of shows, as well as a Curveball pre-party in Watkins Glen on August 15, one night before gates open at Phish’s eleventh festival.

Formula 5 have announced additional dates on their 2018 Fall Tour. The tour stretches from the Northeast to the Rocky Mountains with a swing through the South, performing their ‘Widespread’s Dead’ set at select shows. The band will close out festival season with appearances at The Heap Music Festival (October 12) and Mustang Rock and Roast Music Festival (October 14).

All dates through Denver, CO (Nov 10), will feature a set of ‘Widespread’s Dead,’ a unique tribute experience that will feature a mix of songs from two of the most prominent jam bands in history, Widespread Panic and the Grateful Dead. This special treat for old and new Formula 5 fans alike will not disappoint as they bridge songs from two with bands’ repertoire with their own skillful improvisation.

Guitarist Joe Davis explains the concept of “Widespread’s Dead” and the band’s love for the southern jam band. “We loved playing Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers Band and The Band in recent years and thought it would be fun to add some Widespread Panic into the mix, especially because a lot of bands from where we come from don’t cover Panic. We are big Panic fans but we don’t get to see a lot of Panic up here. The music is just a very different pace then what we are used to as longtime Phish fans.”

Following the ‘Widespread’s Dead’ run, Formula 5 will return to Albany and perform at The Palace Theatre, supporting the Disco Biscuits on the first night of their two-night stand in the capital city.

Formula 5 kicks off Winter Tour at Killington Ski Resort in Vermont, makes three stops in Colorado including their debut at Cervantes Other Side on Valentines Day, and wraps the tour up at Snowshoe Mountain in West Virginia. Additionally, Formula 5 welcomes West End Blend to Putnam Place for a night that will combine the best of Funk and Jam the Northeast has to offer.

Recently, Formula 5 performed at The Palace Theatre in Albany, supporting the Disco Biscuits. Watch full show multi-cam video from The Palace here, and download audio of the show on F5Jams.com.